2018 Central Connecticut Blue Devils football team

The 2018 Central Connecticut Blue Devils football team represented Central Connecticut State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Pete Rossomando and played their home games at Arute Field. They were a member of the Northeast Conference. They finished the season 6–5, 4–2 in NEC play to finish in third place.

2018 Central Connecticut Blue Devils football
Conference	Northeast Conference
2018 record	6–5 (4–2 NEC)
Head coach	Pete Rossomando (5th season)
Offensive coordinator	Ryan McCarthy
Defensive coordinator	Andrew Christ
Home stadium	Arute Field (Capacity: 5,500)

2018 Northeast Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 21 Duquesne +^		5	–	1					8	–	3
Sacred Heart +		5	–	1					7	–	4
Central Connecticut		4	–	2					6	–	5
Wagner		3	–	3					4	–	7
Saint Francis (PA)		2	–	4					4	–	7
Bryant		2	–	4					6	–	5
Robert Morris		0	–	6					2	–	9
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

Previous season

The Blue Devils finished the 2017 season 8–4, 6–0 in NEC play to win the conference title. They received the NEC's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs, their first FCS playoff appearance in school history, where they were defeated by New Hampshire in the First Round.

Preseason

NEC coaches poll

The NEC released their preseason coaches poll on July 24, 2018, with the Blue Devils predicted to become NEC champions.[1]

Predicted finish	Team
1	Central Connecticut
2	Duquesne
3	Bryant
4	Saint Francis
5	Wagner
6	Sacred Heart
7	Robert Morris

Preseason All-NEC team

The Blue Devils placed seven players on the preseason all-NEC team.[2]

Offense Jacob Dolegala – QB Arthur Gilmore – TE J’Von Brown – OL Connor Mignone – OL

Defense Chris Tinkham – DL Kenneth Keen – LB Tajik Bagley – DB

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	7:00 p.m.	at Ball State*	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN	ESPN+	L 6–42	9,801
September 7	6:00 p.m.	Lincoln (PA)*	Arute Field New Britain, CT	NECFR	W 55–0	5,115
September 15	5:00 p.m.	Columbia*	Arute Field New Britain, CT	NECFR	L 24–41	3,789
September 22	1:00 p.m.	at Fordham*	Coffey Field Bronx, NY	Stadium	W 24–13	7,134
September 29	6:00 p.m.	at Lafayette*	Fisher Stadium Easton, PA	Stadium	L 24–31	5,295
October 6	Noon	at Robert Morris	Joe Walton Stadium Moon Township, PA	NECFR	W 56–35	1,844
October 13	1:00 p.m.	at Bryant	Bulldog Stadium Smithfield, RI	NECFR	W 48–14	3,745
October 20	1:00 p.m.	Sacred Heart	Arute Field New Britain, CT (Constitution State Rivalry)	ESPN3	L 25–28	5,117
October 27	Noon	Wagner	Arute Field New Britain, CT		W 49–24	852
November 10	Noon	at Saint Francis	DeGol Field Loretto, PA	ESPN3	W 30–14	912
November 17	Noon	Duquesne	Arute Field New Britain, CT		L 31–38	3,617
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

• Source: Schedule

Game summaries

at Ball State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Devils	0	0	0	6	6
Cardinals	7	14	14	7	42

Lincoln (PA)

	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	0	0	0	0	0
Blue Devils	27	14	7	7	55

Columbia

	1	2	3	4	Total
Lions	14	3	10	14	41
Blue Devils	7	7	0	10	24

at Fordham

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Devils	10	7	7	0	24
Rams	0	6	7	0	13

at Lafayette

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Devils	7	10	0	7	24
Leopards	7	7	7	10	31

at Robert Morris

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Devils	21	14	7	14	56
Colonials	14	7	14	0	35

at Bryant

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Devils	6	14	8	20	48
Bulldogs	14	0	0	0	14

Sacred Heart

	1	2	3	4	Total
Pioneers	7	0	14	7	28
Blue Devils	3	14	0	8	25

Wagner

	1	2	3	4	Total
Seahawks	14	3	7	0	24
Blue Devils	14	7	7	21	49

at Saint Francis (PA)

	1	2	3	4	Total
Blue Devils	0	14	7	9	30
Red Flashes	7	0	0	7	14

Duquesne

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dukes	7	14	7	10	38
Blue Devils	14	3	7	7	31

References

1. http://www.northeastconference.org/news/2018/7/24/football-defending-champ-ccsu-tops-preseason-coaches-poll-places-league-high-seven-on-all-nec-team.aspx
2. http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/northeastconference.org/documents/2018/7/24/FB_18_All_NEC_preseason_list.pdf?id=18285